Be sure to use a good-quality, white 'sandwich tin’ bread for better texture and taste.

Serves 4

8 strips thin-cut smoked streaky bacon, or pancetta

1kg broad beans, podded

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the sandwiches

8 thin slices day-old white bread

The leaves from 2 sprigs tarragon, chopped

The leaves from 2 sprigs basil, chopped

About 10 chives, chopped

200g fresh cheese: mozzarella (drained well of its water), fontina or a soft British cheese (without rind) such as Wigmore or Ogleshield, cut into small pieces, or grated

Groundnut or sunflower oil, for frying

Gently fry the bacon in a heavy-based pan until crisp, or place it under the grill. Drain on kitchen paper then break into shards. Boil the broad beans for one minute in water with a little salt, then pop most of them out of their pale green skins, revealing the brighter green kernels inside. (If the beans you use are very young, many will be firm and a brighter green colour, in which case you will not have to double pod them.) Mix with the crisp bacon, and dress with the olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Chop the herbs and add to the cheese. Pile on to a slice of bread, sandwich with a second slice and tie together like a package with thin butcher’s string. Fry on both sides until golden and the cheese inside begins to ooze. Untie and eat with the salad, as soon as possible.